WAR PAINT BLOG.
Treating Acne in Men: Tips and Tricks for Clearer Skin
What are the main causes of dark circles under eyes for men?
While it’s tough to get rid of dark circles completely, there are simple things you can do to help combat them. To understand how to treat and reduce the appearance of dark circles, it might help you to understand where the hell they come from in the first place.
What are the best dark circle treatments out there for men?
While dark circles aren’t a medical condition, you may not like the look of them and want to do something about them. In this article, we’ll be exploring exactly what dark circles are, and what you can do about them.
Your introductory guide to the world of men’s skincare
Should you be using vegan makeup?
Veganism is on the rise. This is happening for a whole load of reasons including growing knowledge about health concerns, climate change, and of course, animal wellbeing.
But did you know that veganism isn’t only about diet? It’s a lifestyle. Most vegans will avoid products like makeup and household items as well as clothes that have animal by-products in them.
This change in people’s lifestyles is also taking the makeup and skincare industry by storm. According to The Vegan Society, vegan grooming products tripled between 2013-2018.
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH VEGAN-FRIENDLY COSMETICS?
We’re not here to preach that you need to eat a vegan diet or live the perfect eco-friendly sustainable lifestyle. We’re only human and people can do what they feel comfortable with.
But in our opinion, there’s not really any need to use products that aren’t vegan or cruelty-free when the options that are available are really bloody excellent. There's no need to use animal hair makeup brushes when the synthetic vegan makeup brushes are even nicer.
Even the most effective ingredients which we once only derived from animals now have vegan alternatives which do the job the same, or better. So why not choose the vegan option?
WHAT MAKES MAKEUP VEGAN?
But what makes a product vegan or not vegan? To be a vegan product, it needs to be made up of completely plant-based ingredients. This means nothing has come from an animal or any animal by-products.
Did you know that’s not the same as being cruelty-free? Vegan and cruelty-free have different meanings. Being cruelty-free means that the product and its ingredients have never been tested on animals.
Some brands may claim to be cruelty-free but use animal-based ingredients. Equally, some brands may be vegan but still test on animals. There are a surprising number of makeup and skincare brands in the world that still test their products on animals. In China, it’s the law to test products on animals before they can be sold to the public. To get around this issue, some companies will pay others to test the products on animals on their behalf so that the brand can still personally claim to be cruelty-free. Sneaky.
This means that they may be cruelty-free in the UK, but the brand, or company that owns the brand, may not be. If you’re trying to live a cruelty-free lifestyle, it’s your choice as to whether you still buy these brands.
HOW TO IDENTIFY VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE MAKEUP BRANDS
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you need to meticulously Google every ingredient on your packaging. Most brands make it simple by having the words ‘vegan and cruelty-free’ printed on their products, or you can look for reputable logos such as PETA or the Vegan Society.
To be able to use these logos, brands have to go through a rigorous process to prove their products align with them. It’s good to note that Leaping Bunny, Cruelty-Free International, and Choose Cruelty-Free only certify brands that don’t test on animals, but they don’t necessarily have to be vegan.
Some common non-vegan ingredients you can look out for are:
Lanolin: This is derived from sheep's wool which is often found in balms, sticks and glosses.
Oleic acid (also known as oleyl stearate, oleyl oleate or tallow): Made from animal fat, it’s used as a softening agent in some makeup and moisturisers.
Beeswax (also known as cera alba): Used to keep the oil and water in products from separating. Alternatives exist from plant and soya waxes.
Just to add to the confusion, some ingredients like Squalane and Glycerine can be derived from plants or animals, but as the ingredient has the same name either way, it’s impossible to tell from the packaging. The best thing to do if you’re not sure is to look further into the brand and see what their position is on cruelty-free and vegan products.
Shop Like You Give A Damn has a helpful list of non-vegan ingredients you can follow, and you can read more about vegan ingredients on Plantbasednews.org.
WHAT IS THE BEST VEGAN MAKEUP ON THE MARKET?
When selecting the brand and products you want to use, it's about what suits your skin best and which brand you align yourself with.
WHERE TO GET A VEGAN MAKEUP SET
Well, as it so happens, all War Paint makeup products are both vegan and cruelty free. Huzzah.
You can shop our vegan makeup right here on our website. Browse our vegan and cruelty-free makeup, or our skincare.
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War Paint opens worlds-first men's makeup store: welcome to 29 Carnaby street
We're excited to announce the opening of the world’s first men’s makeup brand store, located on London's iconic Carnaby Street.
The world-first store, open now, sells the full range of War Paint for Men products, and offers men the chance to learn about makeup options and trial products.
Our founding principle is to offer men more personal care choice, and through looking and feeling better, improve confidence.
Our founder, Danny Gray, is also a passionate supporter of men's mental health, a theme that features strongly in the store. This has led to a collaboration with The Lions Barber Collective, a group of not-for-profit top-flight barbers, trained in mental health support to help prevent male suicide. The War Paint store is their first permanent home and by paying for a haircut, customers will be helping to save lives.
Danny said: “I’m so proud and excited to be opening the world's first men’s makeup brand store in London. For me it was so important that this wasn’t just about opening a shop to sell products, it was about creating somewhere for people to have an experience. I wanted to create a relaxed, inviting place to help men feel comfortable to have a conversation and learn more about makeup, get a haircut or even talk about mental health. Everything we’re trying to do as a brand is about normalising men using products and tools to help them feel more confident and our store is here to do just that.”
The opening represents another milestone in the story of our brand. War Paint for Men has continued to exceed expectations with products now sold into more than 80 countries. And exciting retail accounts including the first men’s makeup counter in a retail store at John Lewis, as well distribution in Harvey Nichols, REISS and MR Porter in the UK, Sephora in Australia, Loft in Japan and Arnotts in Ireland, bringing men’s make up into new territory.
Pivotal sports partnerships have also been established with Norwich City FC, and in Rugby League with Wigan Warriors where Danny and War Paint are not only leading the conversation on men’s makeup but also raising awareness for men's mental health through multiple partnership initiatives.
Technological firsts are also a feature of the store, and will help men discover the products best suited to them individually. One is ‘Ask Danny’, an interactive virtual Q&A. Consumers can ask a screen, displaying Danny sitting in a chair, any question about War Paint or men’s make-up. High-tech programming and pre-recorded responses will allow Danny to answer any consumer question. Another technological feature will be ‘Designed by Me’, an innovative service that creates bespoke Foundation or Tinted Moisturiser made precisely for your skin tone and skin type in-store while you wait.
Find more information about the store on our website, and watch exclusive behind the scenes footage of the making of the store on our YouTube channel.